To Love Somebody
by Megami-Sama88
Summary: A short moment between Ulquiorra and Orihime.


He watched the woman in silence. So strong was her will. No matter how harshly she was treated, no matter how badly she was abused both physically and mentally, her will to live, to persevere to the end, was unmatched by anyone he knew in Hueco Mundo. Was this what it meant to believe in friends? He felt a stirring in his chest. A strange emotion he was unfamiliar with. His human emotions had vanished long, long ago. But he vaguely remembered the feeling as "guilt". Could it be he was feeling guilty for participating in the mistreatment of this human woman? And if that was the case, why would he feel anything at all for her? She was nothing. An insignificant human. A pawn in Lord Aizen's plans. And once he was through with her, she would be discarded. Probably killed and thrown out like the maggot she was. So why was he feeling this guilt?

She was sleeping. Her breathing so soft it was almost as though she was dead. Her long, red hair fanned across the pillow. He was able to admit to himself that she was a beautiful human woman. Out of instinct, his pale hand reached out and caressed her warm cheek with one long, cold finger. Her skin was soft and smooth. He felt another emotion stirring deep within. His cold, green eyes widened and he dismissed that nonsense from his mind. He had no feelings. He had no emotions for this insignificant human. Suddenly her gray eyes fluttered open and his chest tightened when she made eye contact with him. She looked confused.

"Don't fear me woman" he said without thinking. Sitting up, she only looked at him and shook her head.

"I do not fear you" she said calmly after a moment of silence. Ulquiorra wrapped his hand around her neck, squeezing gently.

"I could snap your neck right now if I wanted to" he said, feeling angry. He was angry at this woman for being so bold. He was angry that she was so arrogant as to tell him to his face that she was unafraid. But he was angrier at himself for admiring her for it. He was angry at himself because he liked her.

"Yes. Yes you could. But you won't. Lord Aizen would be angry" she said softly, grabbing his wrist and pulling away. The fourth Espada tightened his grip on her neck and picked her up in the air easily.

"What if I don't care what Lord Aizen wants, woman?" he asked flatly.

Orihime shut her eyes. She refused to look at him, this human woman. That made him angrier. Slamming her against the wall, he pinned her body with his. He released her delicate neck. Her eyes grew wide and her lips were parted in an expression of shock. He buried his face in her hair and held the back of her head with his hands.

"Wha… what are you doing?" she whimpered. The Espada only looked in to her eyes.

"I don't know" he said finally. He pulled away from the woman and turned his back to her, ready to leave. A soft hand on his arm stopped him.

She stood in front of him. All these emotions in his chest were threatening to overwhelm him. But on the outside he was as cold as ever, his eyes empty and lifeless. She moved to place her hand on his cheek but he stopped her. This reminded him of the time she had slapped him. So brave… or perhaps foolish?

"Your shinigami is strong. Do you believe he will save you?" he asked, watching intently for her reaction.

Her eyes softened and she smiled. A lover's smile. The look in her eyes told him all he needed to know. She was in love with the shinigami. Of course she was. Was he perhaps the reason why her will was so strong? Could he be the hope that made her strong through all of her pain? Jealousy was an emotion completely knew to the Espada. Pushing his way past the red headed human, he turned at the door.

"Your shinigami will die at my hands. It is my duty to make sure that Lord Aizen completes his plans. Ichigo Kurosaki will die" he said, as the door closed, leaving the uttery confused woman inside.

For a moment, the fourth Espada wished he could know what it felt to be loved by someone. Because he already knew how it felt to love somebody.


End file.
